“It’s a bit faded, but it’s pink,” insisted Principal Gerald Habershaw after being accused of wearing a white shirt.

That made little difference. If students or faculty were pink-less or simply wanted to augment their attire to heighten breast cancer awareness, Casey Bennett, Allie Dreyer and a number of their peers were ready with pink bows and safety pins. The bows were free, although they were grateful for donations.

Teacher Cindy Rix was ecstatic with the pink flood. She was pink, from her cowboy hat to her socks.

Last year, students in the school’s leadership academy wanted to show their support of the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation and suggested a “Pink Day” would be a good way to do it. This year, said Rix, it’s just blossomed.

“The kids really got into it,” she said.

The drive started at the school open house and built from there. Wearing pink was just part of it. Students made cookies and other baked goodies that they decorated with pink frosting and, of course, pink bows. The goodies were sold during lunch with all the proceeds going to the Gloria Gemma Foundation. Rix estimates that even before Pink Day, a couple of thousand dollars had been raised.

Rix wanted to rally the full student body and faculty for a pink statement in front of the school or in the cafeteria, but that was nixed for being “too disruptive.”

But there was no need to pull everyone together. A change of classes ushered a pink wave throughout school corridors and a universal feeling that they were all doing something to combat a disease affecting one out of eight women.

The Warwick Beacon is having a Christmas Decorating Contest! Winners will receive a family FOUR PASSES to Trinity Rep. Live in Warwick and decorate your house for Christmas? Enter today by registering and posting a photo!